Means for controlling electric currents.



No. 760,970. PATENTED MAY 24, 1904.

I. DEUTSGH.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRIC GURRENTS.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 30, 1902. RENEWED JUNE 25, 1903.

NO MODEL.

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Patented May 24, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISIDOR DEUTSCH, OF MONTREAL, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRIC AND TRAINLIGHTING SYNDICATE, LIMITED, OF MONTREAL, CANADA, A

CORPORATION OF CANADA.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRIC CURRENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,970, dated May 24,1904.

Application filed April 30, 1902. Renewed June 25,1903. Serial No.163,122- (No model.)

To aZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, IsIDoR DEUTSCH, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Montreal, in the district of Montreal, Province ofQuebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Controlling the Voltage from Electric Grenerators, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for controlling thevoltage from an electric generator, particularly those generatorssubject to sudden variations in speed; and the object of the inventionis to effect an econ- 1 5 omy in the construction of such devices, toplify the arrangement of the parts, and to pro-i vide a regulatorcertain in its operation at a minimum expenditure of electric energy;and it consists, essentially, of a dynamo, arheostat in the shuntfield-circuit of said dynamo, a cyl inder having a piston operatingtherein, a plurality of gears connected to the piston and to therheostat-finger, a coil-spring designed to return the gears to theirnormal position, a 2 5 solenoid controlling an admission-valve in thefeed-pipe to the cylinder, and suitable resistances, cut-outs, andbatteries, the various parts being constructed in detail as hereinaftermore particularly described.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view of my apparatus.

In the drawing, a is the dynamo designed to furnish the current.

6 is the pole-changer,connected, as shown, to 3 5 the dynamo a and tothe circuit and designed to reverse brush connection with the reversalof rotation,-and thereby enable the dynamo to generate when running ineither direction. The main circuit-wires starting from the pole- 4changer Z) branch out as desired according to the uses to which theelectricity is to be applied, and intermediate in the circuit thevarious devices forming parts of my apparatus are found in the orderherein to be described.

0 is the shunt-field of dynamo. (Z is the rheostat, having the finger eand is located in series With the shunt field-circuit and connected, asshown in the drawing.

f is a gear-wheel securely keyed to the finger e.

g is a segmental gear journaled on the projecting pin it and meshingwith the gear f.

5 is a helical spring attached to the pin it and to the face of thesegmental gear.

2' is a cylinder having the piston j operating therein and the feed-pipe72 leading thereinto.

A is a simple aperture in the piston-head of such dimensions that itseifect is readily overcome by the excess of pressure on the lower sideof the piston.

Zis a piston rod pivotally connecting the segmental gear and the pistonj.

m is the air-reservoir supplying compressed air or other expansile fluidto the cylinder c'.

n is a valve located intermediate of the length of the feed-pipe 7:: andprovided with the stem 7.

i) is an arm rigidly attached to the valve-stem 7 and having a forked orslotted end 8.

p is a solenoid, and q the core thereof.

9 is a pin projecting from'one end of the said core within the slottedend 8.

r is an adjustable spiral spring designed to retain the core n normallyin a position to keep the valve a closed.

8 is an automatic cut-out operated through the toggle-joint t and theelectromagnet w.

'0 is the core of the electromagnet w, pivotally attached to the jointof the toggles.

a? is a spring adjustably attached at 1 and connected with thetoggle-joint t, designed to hold the toggles in an angular position whenthe circuit is open.

2 is a series of lamps located in the lampcircuit.

3 is a storage battery or accumulator intermediate in the length of themain exterior circuit and designed to accumulate electricity from thedynamo.

10 represents safety-fuses.

Having described the arrangement and con struction in detail, I shallnow more particularly explain the operation thereof. The armature of thedynamo being revolved causes a difference of potential at terminals ofcutout magnet w. When this difference of potential becomes equal to thevoltage of the through the negative side of the pole-changerv to thebrush of the dynamo. In case the lights are on a portion of the currentshunts to the lamp-circuit, and it will be here understood that therelative amount of current passing to the accumulator and lamp-circuits,respectively, depends upon the number of lamps lighted in the saidlamp-circuit.

The arrangement th us far described is mostly known, and it isparticularly concerning the operation of the rheostat with which thisinvention has to do.

As my apparatus is particularly well adapted to a railroad-train forlighting the passenger-coaches thereof, I shall confine my explanationto the construction and operation of the rheostat and regulator thereforto this application of the device. Immediately preceding the movement ofthe train cut-out contacts will be open and the dynamo, which is drivenfrom the car-axle, will be at rest. The lamps, if lighted, will be fedfrom the storage battery 3 alone, the latter having been charged beforebeing placed in the circuit, though it must be here understood that theprevious charging of this battery is not necessary to the working of mysystem, as it is quite possible to charge it en route. As the trainmoves slowly at the start, the dynamo begins to generate, and when theproper speed is reached the cut-out contacts close, as before described.The speed still increasing, the dynamo continues the generation of moreand more current until its normal load is reached, and as the speedincreases some means of preventing the overload is necessary. When thenormal current passes through the solenoid p, the magnetic influence orpull on its core (1 just balances the mechanical tension or pull of thespring 9'. If this normal current is exceeded, the magnetic pull isgreater than the mechanical pull and the admission-valve 91/ is opened,admitting air to the back of the piston. The piston is thus forced upand through the operation of the intermediate gears causes therheostatfinger to turn and cut resistance in the shunt field-circuit ofthe dynamo. The field is thus weakened and the load reduced as required.\Vhen the train is traveling at its normal maximum rate, the balancebetween the magnetic and the spring pull on the solenoid core q will beestablished, and in this position the ingress of air through theadmission-valve a will equal the egress of air from the port in thepiston-head. Otherwise the piston, and consequently the gearing of therheostat-finger, will remain practically stationary during thecontinuance of the normal maximum speed aforesaid. It will be seen thatsuch must be the case at any speed the train is traveling, provided thatspeed be constant for a given time, for the position of the piston, andtherefore the rheostat-tinger, is determined by the variation in speedonly. As the train approaches the stop and gradually lessens speed, thedynamo still revolving more and more slowly, and in order to keep theload within given limits the field strength must be increased. Thecurrent decreasing, the magnetic influence of the solenoid and its core9 becomes less, and the pull of the spring 9' is greater than themagnetic pull of the core 1. This effects the rigid arm 0 and closes thevalve 71.. The air in the cylinder 2 exhausts through the port 4: andthe piston is forced down by the helical spring 5, which in the upwardstroke of the piston has been wound around the pin it. The finger 0 thusreturns to its normal position, gradually cutting resistance out'of thefield-circuit, which was introduced when the train speeded up. As thetrain moves still more slowly the cut-out contacts open and everythingresumes its original condition in readiness for the next run.

The supply of air or steam on a railway-train for the purpose ofoperating the piston governing the rheostat-finger is readily available,as there is always an air-reservoir which may be tapped, givingsuflicient pressure to insure the raising of the piston and holding thesame in such position for as long as may be desired.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the least variation in the speedof the dynamo will affect the position of the rheostat[inger, as theslightest diminution of the pressure behind the piston-head will becounterbalanced by the unwinding of the coil-spring 5, and inconsequence lower the position of the piston. Thus it will be seen therhcostat-linger will ,move gradually from step to step, or if the dynamois suddenly arrested the said linger will jump several steps and cut outthe resistance at once.

It must be understood that in this invention though Idescribeparticularly the use of compressed air as a force to drive the pistonany form of expansile fluid will answer equally well.

hat I claim as my invention is 1. In an apparatus for controllingvoltage, the combination with a dynamo having a main exterior circuit,of a rheostat provided with a finger actuated by a gear mechanism, acylinder, a piston operating therein, a connectingrod to the aforesaidgear mechanism, a solenoid, an admission-valve to the cylindercontrolled by the solenoid, an exhaust-port from IIO the cylinder, andsuitable cut-outs intermediate of the circuits, as and for the purposespecified.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with the dynamo,having a main exterior circuit, of a rheostat, a gear-wheel securelykeyed to the finger thereof, a coacting gear journaled to one side ofthe center of the rheostat, and arranged to oscillate, means for movingthe oscillating gear in one direction, a solenoid in the circuit of thedynamo for controlling the operation of said means and a spring formoving the oscillating gear in the opposite direction, as and for thepurpose specified.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with the dynamo,having a main exterior circuit, of a rheostat, a gear-wheel securelykeyed to the finger thereof, a coacting gear journaled to one side ofthe center of the rheostat, means for turning the gear to movethe fingerin one direction and a coilspring connected to one of the gear andbearing thereof, and designed to return the finger to its normalposition, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a device of the class described, a rheostat embodying suitablesteps, a finger having a gear-wheel keyed thereto, a segmental gearmeshing. with the said gear-wheel and journaled on a projecting pin, acoil-spring encircling the pin and attached thereto at one end, and atthe other to the segmental gear, means for turning the said segmentalgear and compressing the coil-spring, a solenoid, a main exteriorcircuit and a dynamo, as and for the purpose specified. I

5. In a device of the class described, arheostat comprising suitablesteps, a finger having a gearwheel secured thereto, a segmental gearjournaled on a projecting pin, and. meshing with the aforesaid gear,acoi-l-spring designed to windand unwind on the projecting pin, acylinder, a piston operating therein, an admission-valve, anexhaust-port from the cylinder, a solenoid having a spring-held coreconnected to a rigid arm from the valve-stem and a dynamo designed tofurnish current through the various wires, as and for the purposespecified.

6. In an apparatus for controlling voltage, the combination with adynamo having a main exterior circuit emanating therefrom, of a rheostatprovided with a finger having a gearwheel keyed thereto, a segmentalgear meshing with the gear wheel, a coil-spring designed to wind andunwind with the turning of the segmental gear, a cylinder, a pistonoperating therein, a connecting-rod to the aforesaid segmental gear, asolenoid, having a spring-held core, an admission-valve in the feed-pipecontrolled by the movement of the core and a suitable exhaust-port fromthe cylinder, as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a voltage-regulator, the combination with the dynamo and exteriorcircuit fed thereby, a solenoid, a spring-held core therein, a cylinder,a piston carrying a piston-rod, an admissionvalve,an exhaust-port, agear mechanism connected to the said piston-rod, a rheostat providedwith a finger operated by the gear mechanism, a storage battery and asuitable cut-out, as and for the purpose specified.

8. In a system for lighting or analogous purposes having as a source ofcurrent an intermittingly-operated dynamo, a circuit containing astorage battery and the translating devices, means for connecting thedynamo with said circuit and closing the latter at a minimum voltage, arheostat having a gear-wheel keyed to its finger, a corresponding gear,a cylinder, a piston, an admission-valve, a solenoid having aspring-held core designed to control the admission-valve, anexhaust-port from the cylinder, and means for returning the piston toits first position subsequent to the release of the air or expansilefluid, as and for the purpose specified.

9. In a device of the class described, in combination, an electricgenerator having connection with a main circuit through a suitablepole-changer, a storage battery, a cut-out, a solenoid having aspring-held core, a cylinder, an inlet-valve to said cylinder controlledby the spring-held core, a piston operating in the cylinder having anexhaustport therethrough, a rheostat, a gear mechanism operating thefinger thereof, a connecting-rod from the piston-head to said gearmechanism, and a coil-spring designed to insure the return stroke of thepiston, as and for the purpose specified.

10. In a device of the class described, in combination, an electricgenerator having main circuit, a rheostat, a plurality of gearsoperating the finger thereof, a solenoid having a spring-held core, acylinder, a piston having a reciprocatory movement therein, anair-reservoir connected to the cylinder, an admission-valve intermediateof the cylinder and air-reservoir controlled by the engagement of thesolenoid-core with a rigid arm from the valve-stem, an exhaust-port fromthe cylinder, a connecting-rod to the aforesaid gears from the piston, astorage battery, a lampcircuit, and suitable resistances and safetyfusesintermediate in the circuits, as and for the purpose specified.-

11. In means for controlling electric currents, a cylinder having asuitable admissionpassage thereto, a piston provided with anexhaust-port, an inlet-valve intermediate with the length of theadmission-passage, an arm rigidly attached to the Valve-stem and havinga forked end, a solenoid located intermediate in an electric circuit, aspring-held core engaging the aforesaid arm, a rheostat, a plurality ofgears designed to operate the finger thereof, and suitably connectedwith the piston, an electric source of power, and a suitableexpansile-fluid supply connected to the admission-passage of thecylinder, as and for the purpose specified.

12. 111 means for controlling electric currents, a rheostat having alinger with a gear- Wheel securely keyed thereto, a segmental gearmeshing with the gear-Wheel aforesaid, a helical spring designed to coiland uneoil on the shaft of said gear, a cylinder, a piston having a rodpivotally connected to the segmental gear at the apex thereof, anadmission-passage to the cylinder, an inlet-valve, a solenoid having acore designed to control the

